The good news for the New York Knicks? They ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak. The bad news for the Knicks? They haven’t played since April 16 thanks to an 82-game spread of bad luck, shoelace thievery and all-around lethargic basketball associated with the franchise in the post-Patrick Ewing era.*

Yet, somehow, between the NBA Finals and Donald Sterling changing his mind for the 87th time since the tapes leaked confirming he will, indeed, wage war on Adam Silver’s NBA, here stand the Knicks. Relevant. In the news.

Derek Fisher is set to become the Knicks’ new head coach – the eighth since Jeff Van Gundy left in 2001 – signing a five-year deal worth a reported $25M.** As in the same Derek Fisher who’s season just ended as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. And as in the same Derek Fisher who captured NBA titles alongside Phil Jackson in 2000-2002, 2009 and 2010. The hire wasn’t much of a shock as Fisher’s name had been linked to the job even before OKC’s season ended (thus birthing the tampering fines).

But what does the move mean? From a guy about seven hours south of Manhattan? With absolutely no ties to the Knicks outside of catching the train at Penn Station every time I head to the Big Apple? Well, I’m glad you asked.

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Learn As You Go

Per ESPN’s Stats & Information, these are five NBA coaches who had no coaching experience whatsoever prior to day one one the job along with their first season’s records.

Bird came this close to ruining a Bulls three peat in 1998 by losing Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers lost by five in a game that saw Indy hold Jordan and Pippen to 15-for-43 shooting. The Pacers would’ve won, too, had it not been for 16 missed free throws. Bird made it back to the East finals the next season and by 2000 was in the Finals.

Rivers won Coach of the Year his first season on the job in Orlando. Jackson’s last season in Golden State notched 51 wins in a packed West and allegedly lost his job because of a toxic relationship with ownership. And somehow, Kidd managed to turn the Nets into the hottest team in the East this past season for damn-near a four-month stretch.

If Derek Fisher duplicates half of any of these guys success in his first year (minus Jackson, technically), he’ll more than have earned his projected $5M. Then again, that “if” is about as big as Terio these days.

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The Rebuilding Process And Carmelo Anthony

Google “Derek Fisher hired Knicks” and most of the columns circulate around Phil Jackson’s decision to hire his former point guard being a risky one. It is, but in a boatload of ways, that’s besides the point.

Coaching the Knicks is hazardous because of the unrealistic immediate expectations often times associated with the gig. Which is why whoever the coach and/or star player is that deliver a title to Madison Square Garden between next season and the year 2089, they may literally become emperors of the city. Like actual emperors with their face on train cards (or MetroCards as they’re officially called) and currency. The whole nine.

But, shit, if you’re Fisher, why not take $25M to mediate a dumpster fire for a season or two. Obviously, the most important (and perhaps only) question facing the Knicks now is Carmelo Anthony’s future. Fisher with Carmelo at his services next year isn’t going to mean much from a championship contending perspective, despite the production CA7 amassed in an otherwise lost season.

Fisher without Carmelo and we’re talking – puts on conspiracy theorist tin foil hat – a tank job of iconic proportions with JR Smith getting 20 shots a night, finally seeing some sort of financial flexibility in the summer of 2015 with Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and Andrea Bargnani all off the books, coasting to the top overall pick in 2015 (because that’s one pick they do still have) and selecting Jahlil Okafor or Cliff Alexander as the new face of the franchise next June.

Phil Jackson, A Friend’s Friend

The Steve Kerr chase fell through, but he ended up with Fisher anyway. Bill Cartwright, Kurt Rambis, Jim Cleamons, Luke Walton and Ron Harper are all said to be candidates for the staff.

I’m not even sure this means much in the long run. And there’s a chance we could all look back on Phil’s stint in New York a decade from now as failed experiment. That said, smart or not, no one can ever say Phil didn’t try to look out for his people.

Coaching the Knicks is hazardous because of the unrealistic immediate expectations often times associated with the gig.
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That sounds just like another team these guys were associated with. But unlike the Lakers, the Knicks expectations simply should be to make it to the 2nd round of the playoffs (if they can retain Anthony). They had the roster to get there last year and it’s the East. Eclipsing Mike Woodson, Mike D’Antoni, Lenny Wilkens, and every other coach since Jeff Van Gundy in his 1st season by winning the 2nd series, is entirely possible. All in all, f*** the Knicks but respect and good luck to Fish’.

I love it. Derek Fisher is easily one of my favorite players. Sucks he couldn’t get one more with the Thunder. It’s hard to expect much next season unless a big trade happens but Fisher will get this team together for sure.

Jason Kidd and Mark Jackson really proved that point guards can really run a team (in recent times). I think Derek Fisher could be a much better coach than both of them if he has the right resources. Phil Jackson is gonna give him the world.

It’s gonna suck to be Carmelo Anthony on court this season. Damned if he stays, he doesn’t care about his legacy and championships etc. and if he leaves he better go somewhere with nba finals expectations or he’ll continue to be spot lighted as the guy from that draft that’s done nothing but score at a prolific level.
As far as fisher goes, I’m sure he’ll have authority with whoever is on the team cuz whatever is said to him is basically being said to Phil as per the walky-talky headset he’ll be wearing

They haven’t played since April 16 thanks to an 82-game spread of bad luck

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This just made me realize how fortunate I am that the Wizards showed out in the playoffs. Congrats to the fish, but that Knicks line-up ain’t going far if the playoffs teams in the East actually get better, Indy included. Atlanta is getting Horford back, Al Jefferson and Kemba looking like the truth in Charlotte, the North is here to stay, and Chicago still have D-Rose in the cut, and that will forever be a scary sight. Of course if Melo doesn’t jump ship, shit may change for the better, but I see no reason to have faith in that team. The only team I’d wouldn’t know about is Brooklyn, but a team full of old heads is always unpredictable.

The more and more the moves Phil has made I’m feeling like he’s purposely trying to push Melo out! Being a Bulls fan and it possibly increasing chances for him to leave, I’m starting to actually get my hopes up a little that we maybe able to actually land him during the offseason! Seeing how ownership for Da Bulls is at times with spending money or pursuing trades and/or certain big names whether in FA or trade I’m still somewhat not getting my hopes up to high to only be disappointed again too though!

Regarding that list of first timers. How come magic and Isaiah weren’t included? Did they have asst coaching gigs before they started or what? I don’t remember how it started but I know they both coached. Just curious